The brig/brigantine Mary sailed from Cork, date unknown,
but probably in April. The passengers were all Irish, and their intended
destination was the United States, via the port of Boston. The Mary
arrived at Boston May 17th 1847, but the passengers were in such a destitute
condition, the city authorities would not allow them to land unless the
captain was willing to pay a bond for their care. The captain was either
unable or unwilling to pay such a bond, so the decision was made to sail
for Halifax, Nova Scotia. The passengers protested, but to no avail, and
Mary set sail for Halifax May 22nd 1847. A newspaper
account from the Boston papers was published in the Saint John, NB,
Morning News on Friday, May 28, 1847. On Friday, June 4, 1847,
The Christian Messenger (Halifax), reported "Arrived Friday 28th;
Brigt Mary, [captain] Wyman, Cork via Boston, 46 passengers who
were prohibited from landing at Boston."

brig Marysailed from
Cork April ? 1847 / arr. Halifax, N.S., (via Boston) May 28th 1847 brig Mary of Yarmouth, from the port of Cork, Ireland to Boston,
Mass., dated May 21st 1847. Burthen per Register 82 tons, Joseph
Wyman, the Master. The passenger list does not include the Captain's
"sworn statement" however, a notation reads "The above
named vessel sailed without discharging her Passengers, the Captain refusing
to give the bonds required by the State Laws." (Passenger list Source:
NARA Microfilm Publication M277, Roll 22)

No.

Names

Age

Sex / Remarks

1

Donaghue, Thomas

24

male

2

Kelleher, Timothy

22

male

3

Coghlan, Samuel

24

male

4

Flanahan, Thomas

29

male

5

Cortin?, Ellen

2?

female - Carlin ?

6

Walsh, Thomas

20

male

7

Shea, William

19

male

8

Cavanagh, Joseph

21

male

9

Cavanagh, John

20

male

10

Fenerty?, Samuel

30

male

11

Callahan, Ellen

30

female - Callaghan

12

Callahan, Johanna

8

female

13

Callahan, Mary

9

female

14

Callahan, Ellen

37

female

15

Callahan, Bridget

6

female

16

Callahan, Catharine

8

female

17

Turner, Thomas

20

male

18

Sullivan, Daniel

?6?

male

19

Connor, Michael

40

male

20

Connor, Margaret

40

female

21

Connor, James

17

male

22

Connor, Catharine

15

female

23

Connor, Mary

15

female

24

Connor, Thomas

11

male

25

Manning, Michael

20

male

26

Collins, Thomas

20

male

27

Brion, Jeremiah

20

male

28

Brion, Margaret

26

female

29

Brion, Bridget

21

female

30

Brion, Johanna

2

female

31

Brion, Mary

2

female

32

Noonan, Edward

40

male

33

Mahony, Jeremiah

33

male

34

Sullivan, Patrick

22

male

35

Daley, James

20

male

36

Daley, Timothy

20

male

37

Murphy, Dennis

20

male

38

Driscoll, Timothy

25

male

39

Atkinson, Eliza

25

female

40

Bowles, Patrick

27

male

41

Brown, John

20

male

42

Connor, John

25

male

43

Lovett, Simon

20

male - Lovatt

44

Sullivan, John

20

male

45

Sullivan, Con.

22

male

46

Sullivan, Daniel

19

male

Saint John, NB, Morning News
Friday, May 28, 1847

Disturbance in the Harbour of Boston.
The British brig Mary, Captain Wyman from Cork, arrived at this
port 17th inst., [Monday, May 17th 1847] with forty-six steerage passengers.
The city authorities would not suffer them to be landed, owing to their
destitute condition, unless the master gave bonds that they would not
become a burthen to the city. This he was unable or unwilling to do,
and came to the conclusion that he must take them to Halifax, for which
port he accordingly cleared on Saturday [May 22nd 1847]. The passengers
were naturally much exasperated at the turn matters were taking, and
when the pilot ordered the crew to weigh anchor, the passengers took
possession at the handspikes and windlass, and assaulted Capt. Wyman,
who called to his assistance Capt. Josiah Sturgis, of the revenue cutter
Hamilton, who went on board with six men and attempted in his
usually judicious and dispassionate manner, to restore order, and directed
his men to man the windlass.

The passengers crowded forward, obstructing the operation in various
ways, and while Capt S. stood upon the windlass encouraging his men,
one of the passengers, who appeared to take the lead, got upon the windlass
and collared the gallant captain, attempting to remove him. But Capt
Sturgis instantly threw him several feet from him, prostrate upon the
deck, and made a signal for a reinforcement from the Hamilton, when
another boat's crew, armed with cutlasses, came on board. Capt Sturgis
ordered the women and children to go aft, and the men to fall back from
the windlass, which they did. He then got the brig under weigh, and
accompanied her some distance, leaving her with a fair and fresh breeze.